PDP Govs To Resolve National Secretary Dispute As Party Shifts Congresses

Governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are expected to take a decisive stance on the ongoing crisis over the national secretary position at their meeting in Ibadan, Oyo State, on April 13.

Party sources told Leadership that the gathering will seek to resolve the deadlock between the National Working Committee (NWC) and Senator Samuel Anyanwu regarding the rightful occupant of the party’s national secretary role.

The battle for the secretary position has disrupted the operations of the opposition party, especially following the Supreme Court ruling on March 20. The ruling, which left key players asserting their mandates, has resulted in a standstill, with no clarity on who holds the position.

This division has significantly impacted the party’s activities, particularly ahead of the Anambra State governorship election, where potential candidates have shied away from the party due to the internal crisis. An extension was even granted to one aspirant to purchase the party’s form, a stark contrast to the 2021 election, which saw 16 aspirants picking up the PDP forms.

Since 2023, Senator Samuel Anyanwu and Hon. Sunday Ude-Okoye, both backed by PDP South East leaders, have been embroiled in a battle for the national secretary seat. Ude-Okoye was endorsed as national secretary by PDP governors in January after favorable rulings from both the High and Appeal Courts. The Board of Trustees (BoT) and the NWC also endorsed him in February, citing the same court judgments.

However, Anyanwu, who opposed Ude-Okoye’s recognition by the governors and other stakeholders, pursued his appeal at the Supreme Court. In March, he claimed the apex court affirmed him as the legitimate national secretary, asserting that the lower courts should not have adjudicated on an inter party matter.

In contrast, the NWC maintains that Ude-Okoye is the rightful national secretary, arguing that the Supreme Court ruling confirmed the tussle over the position as a party affair.

The NWC’s position was reinforced by Hon. Debo Ologunagba, the national publicity secretary, who pointed out that the South East PDP leaders had resolved to appoint Ude-Okoye as a replacement for Anyanwu, following his exit to contest for the Imo State governorship in 2023.

The ongoing dispute has led to reduced activity at the party secretariat, with operations slowing down as staff members remain uncertain about the identity of the national secretary.

A senior party staff member, speaking anonymously, expressed concerns over the negative impact this confusion is having on the party’s operations, especially in the lead-up to the Anambra election.

“The situation is appalling for the party ahead of the Anambra election,” the staff member lamented, adding that the party is being “overlooked in the critical conversation of the coalition movement.”

“We anticipate that the governors, at their meeting, would take a position on this and clarify the situation. But for now we are just drifting and hoping for the best,” the senior staffer said.

Meanwhile, the PDP has postponed its congresses for the North-Central, South-South, and South-West geopolitical zones, which were originally scheduled for April 12. National publicity secretary Debo Ologunagba announced the postponement as a show of solidarity with Plateau State over recent killings and to allow governors in the affected zones to attend the PDP Governors’ Forum in Ibadan on April 13.

Ologunagba further revealed that the South-West Zonal Congress will now take place on April 16, with new dates for the North-Central and South-South congresses to be announced later.